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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · stem · spell · rash · snap · toast · clip · vault

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. snap — to click
  3. cue — a hint
  4. spell — letters
  5. cue — for pool
  6. clip — a video
  7. clip — to cut
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. stem — to come from
  10. spell — a short time
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. toast — bread
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. spell — magic
  16. clip — for paper
  17. vault — a safe
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. cue — a signal
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. rash — hasty
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. rash — a series

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com